KNOCKING AT THE DOOR. 


FT MEADE 
GenCol1 


ALEX. II. JONES, 

MEMBER-ELECT TO CONGRESS 




HIS COURSE- 


BEFORE THE WAR, DURING THE WAR, 


AFTER THE WAR. 


ADVENTURES AND ESCAPES. 


A 

WASHINGTON: 

McGIU A WITIIEROW, PRINTERS AND STEREOTYPERS. 
1866. 























Book . J 17 































KNOCKING AT THE DOOE. 


ALEX. H. JONES, 

II ^ — 

MEMBER-ELECT TO CONGRESS 


HIS COURSE 


BEFORE THE WAR, DURING THE WAR, 


AFTER THE WAR 1 . 

ADVENTURES AND ESCAPES. 



WASHINGTON: 

McGill a wituerow, printers and stereotypers. 
1866. 









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I 


TO THE PEOPLE. 


In conformity to promises, made at the solicitation of 
many, I now proceed to the narration of my course before, 
during and since the war, &c. 

I was born and brought up near Asheville, Buncombe 
county, North Carolina, where I received the rudiments of 
an education in literature and practical farming, and where 
in my youth I read the life of Washington, Marion, Putnam, 
and the history of the United States. In a word, I was 
taught to love the Union next to my God. In my seven¬ 
teenth, year, by the consent of my father, I volunteered into 
the service of the United States, under the supervision of 
General Winfield Scott, and was houorably discharged at the 
pleasure of the Government. In my twenty-second year I 
married and settled on a farm, where, from exposure and 
hard labor, I became seriously afflicted with rheumatism, 
and was advised by my physician to change my occupation. 
In the year 1851 I removed to Ilendersonville, where I en¬ 
gaged in the mercantile business, and continued up to the 
war; having never taken any active part in politics until the 
year 1860, and then it was more accidental than intentional. 

Having become an administrator of an editor, it devolved 
upon me to fill out the unexpired time as editor. In prin¬ 
ciple I was a Whig. Exchange papers from almost every 
State in the Union kept me posted in the political world, 
and I endeavored to give the people the benefit of the great 
arguments in favor of the Union. My editorials were deter¬ 
mined and uncompromising. I was dubbed by the disorgan¬ 
izes an abolitionist, a Tory, a Lincolnite, &c. The postmas¬ 
ters in South Carolina and some sections in North Carolina 
refused to distribute the paper, calling it a d—d abolition 
sheet. Finally the administrative term of the paper closed, 
but not without making its mark in western North Carolina, 
as the sequel will show. 


4 


The year 1861 having arrived—and South Carolina had 
passed the so-called ordinance of secession—and treason now 
making some headway in North Carolina, an election was 
called. The Union party of the western portion of the State 
organized and went almost unanimously against a conven¬ 
tion. In this election I took quite an active part in my 
locality. Over-rejoiced at the success, and hoping the ques¬ 
tion was set at rest so far as North Carolina was concerned. 
I gave vent to my feelings in loud expressions of praise to 
the western'portion of the State—so much so that I was 
marked as a Union leader. In the meantime President 
Lincoln issued his proclamation, calling on the loyal States 
for troops to put down the rebellion; and Governor Ellis, 
instead of furnishing his quota of men, replied to the Presi¬ 
dent: “You cannot get a single man; but North Carolina 
will furnish forty thousand for the South,” &c. Volunteer 
companies were formed throughout the State, and every 
thing done in order to excite the people to the highest point. 
Meetings were held in the various counties, in 4 which men 
who had claimed to be Union men participated with the 
original secessionists in passing resolutions “that the time 
had arrived when the South should be a unit in repelling the 
usurpations of Lincoln,” &c. Rebel flags were being hoisted 
and defended by the excited volunteer youth of the country. 
Never shall I forget the time when, in my native little vil¬ 
lage, a long flag-pole was dragged by my office door well 
guarded, for the reason it required a force to hoist a rebel 
flag in that place. The attempt had been made and failed 
on one occasion previous to this. 

I was a quiet looker-on, for I could do nothing more, to 
use the language of another, than to think to myself, “Fa¬ 
ther forgive them, they know not what the}^ do.” 

Orders for a second election were made and reached the 
western portion of the State; or, at least, were made public 
only some four or five days previous to the day of election. 
This was fatal to the Union men. But few were to be found 
now who would face the music and become a candidate in favor 
of the Union. My name was announced by the “ straight” 
Union men of the district. My opponent was the same 
that had run on the Union ticket at the previous elec¬ 
tion, and was elected by an overwhelming majority over the 
secession candidate; but he too had gone over to the rebels, 
and carried all of his friends who had not moral courage 
enough to stick to the Union. 

In attempting to make the first political speech of my 


5 


life, I soon found for what purpose the volunteer compa¬ 
nies were raised. I had not proceeded far with my speech 
until I was invited from the stump and threatened with a 
ride on one of Lincoln’s rails. The second day following, 
the pretended election came off. Clerks were at the ballot- 
boxes with pencil and paper in hand, taking down all the 
names of those who voted for me, (“the Lincoln” candidate,) 
with threats that all such would be hung or shot. At some 
precincts the polls were guarded, and those who dared to 
vote for me were mobbed. Never were such scenes enacted 
in the mountains of western North Carolina on any previ¬ 
ous occasion ; guns, pistols, knives, stones, and every means 
possible, were used to prevent the people of western North 
Carolina from showing by their votes that they were a loyal 
and Union-loving people. On the one side boys not more 
than fifteen and sixteen years of age were allowed a vote, 
whilst Union men stood aghast. 

Notwithstanding so many illegal votes were allowed to be 
cast in favor of secession, the State fell short something over 
forty-six thousand votes, according to previous elections. 
This fall-oft* was principally in the western part of the State, 
and this is another evidence that the majority of the people 
in the mountain counties are, and have always been, true to 
the Union. But the convention met and declared the State 
out of the Union, and it was as much as a Union man’s life 
was worth to openly advocate the cause. Something must 
be done, and I was looked upon as the Union leader in my 
section, and was applied to by hundreds for counsel. I had 
to proceed with much caution, for some were constantly 
going over and affiliating with the rebels, and it seemed to 
rue the very moment they went over their hearts became 
corrupted. With the aid of my younger brother, who was 
as true a man as ever saw the light of day, and some others, 
we formed a secret Union league, with certain signs and 
tokens by which we could recognize each other, even if we 
were strangers. My brother and myself having relatives in 
East Tennessee, we arranged a kind of “ under-ground rail¬ 
road” by which we could communicate; aud acted in accord¬ 
ance to the circumstances that surrounded us, watching and 
waiting, hoping that East Tennessee would be relieved by 
the presence of Federal troops. Conscription would occa¬ 
sionally make an inroad upon us, and this was evaded in 
every manner possible. Early in the spring of 186*3, my 
brothei* was notified to appear before the conscript board ; he 
notified me of the fact, and said he thought he would get off 


4 


6 

on the ground of inability. Indeed lie was quite a delicate 
man, but I told him no man of his sentiments would be ex¬ 
cused. Said he, “you know our solemn vows never to fight 
against the Union.” I told him that I did, and I did not in¬ 
tend to break my vow at any hazard. We had solemnly 
pledged each other that we would sacrifice all that we pos¬ 
sessed on earth, and our lives, sooner than be forced to fight 
against our conscientious principles. He went before the 
board with a certificate of inability, but all to no purpose; 
he was notified to appear for duty. Never shall I forget our 
next meeting and parting, poor fellow, with a wife and six 
little children whom he dearly loved. On parting from me 
in the road, said he, “I am going to keep my pledge. I am 
going to Tennessee, and I doubt whether we shall ever meet 
again in this world, my health being feeble, but I will do 
what I conceive to be my duty before God.” After some 
conditional arrangements, we bid adieu. Never, never will 
I forget that last look of my dear devoted brother. From 
the period of my brother’s departure, I was suspicioned and 
watched closer than ever. My triends would not confer 
with me, only in a private way, for fear of condemnation 
and suspicion, and I was frequently warned by them that 
my life was in danger. I had written several articles over 
fictitious signatures, with which I was strongly suspicioned, 
against the rebellion and certain characters advocating the 
same; finally, I wrote a long article preparing the minds of 
the party for the designs that I intended carrying out, and 
had some six hundred copies printed secretly, which was 
carefully distributed into the hands of those for whom they 
were intended. The article is here copied, leaving oft* the 
extraneous: 

“Multum in Parvo.” 

“We were once a happy people; yea, happy and blessed. 
Let us pass our minds back, and reflect a while on by-gone 
days, to our childhood. Do you remember that old school- 
house trail, once so familiar? Do you not in your mind 
hear the warble of those sweet birds on your way to and fro ? 
Do you not remember those sweet faces, those happy school¬ 
mates? Don’t you recollect, when returning home, the 
cheerful song and whistle of the plowman ? Cast your eye 
down to yonder meadow, hill-side, or some other place, and 
near by don’t you see that milk maid, perhaps your sister? 
Don’t you hear that sweet happy voice, as she mingles her 


tuneful powers with those around to add to the happiness of 
your peaceful home? Don’t you see your brothers, your 
father, as the case may be, coming from the farm, the shop, 
or the counting-room ? What cheerful faces ! Perhaps they 
are tired and care-worn; but they are cheerful; I can see a 
fixedness in their countenances, looking to the future paving 
out a way for our comfort and welfare. We take a little 
larger scope, and see yonder our good neighbor enlarging 
his farm; another building a new house; over the way a 
little, our neighbors are engaged in erecting a neat church 
or school house; in one direction and in another lives an 
uncle or cousin, or neighbor so-and-so; some of them are 
wealthy and prosperous. Let us still enlarge our view, and 
go from county to county, from State to State, and happiness 
and prosperity meet us every where throughout our broad 
land; and with all how free we were to visit and associate 
throughout the whole boundary of the United States and 
Territories. No wonder we prospered as a nation. No 
wonder that we prided ourselves in the best government 
‘ the world ever saw.’ 

“Alas, civil war is stalking abroad in this our beloved 
country. Devastation, misery, and confusion have come upon 
us, and we must face the fact. 

“The writer will deal in facts, and proceed at once to call 
the attention of the reader to the war in which we are now 
involved, and will first speak of the cause, &c. 

“ The first cause of this great national strife originated 
with men and measures that were unfriendly to republican¬ 
ism ; that were opposed to a democratic form of government. 
Don’t be startled until you examine the evidence and facts 
brought forth; that will prove beyond a doubt what is here 
asserted. It is useless to carry the mind back to the Devolu¬ 
tion, in order to prove that there was a revolution ; but per¬ 
haps it is necessary to call to mind that there was a cause , 
and a just cause, for the Devolution of our fathers; and I can 
only refer the reader to the Declaration of Independence 
for those just reasons for throwing oft* the yoke of bondage. 

“It is well known to all Americans that in the struggle of 
our fathers for independence, that there were Tories; men 
who were opposed to American independence; many, per¬ 
haps, were honest in regard to their preference for the king 
and the rule of the mother country. 

“South Carolina by far held more of these Tories than 
any other State, and in the adoption of the Articles of Con¬ 
federation her convention tied on the vote—one half for 


8 


King George; but finally with great reluctance this State 
pledged her faith to the United States, and became a pros¬ 
perous and wealthy State; but the seeds of disaffection were 
not lost. In 1832 she attempted to nullify the Constitution, 
but the taint had not got sufficient hold on the masses of 
the people; it was plain, open rebellion, and we had a Presi¬ 
dent who knew how to deal with traitors; his watch-word 
was, ‘ This Union shall be maintained at all hazards.’ 

“ The disapprobation of the people and the promptness ot 
the Administration gave nullification such a rebuke, that it 
dared never again to appear until it assumed the false colors 
of secession coupled with States rights. The spirit of rebel¬ 
lion was kept animated and fed by circumstances as they 
occurred, and the fire eaters of the South labored hard to 
prejudice the minds of the people. The press, instead of 
trying to bind up, were sowing the seeds of strife by making 
appeals to the people not to read northern papers, not to 
read northern literature; in short everything that could be, 
was done to alienate the sections. 

“ The Missouri compromise line having been obliterated by 
Congress, and opened a road for the disunionists, on which 
they traveled quite successfully, with the aid of James Bu¬ 
chanan, in the Kansas affair. It was during President Bu¬ 
chanan’s term that the disorganizers added to their former 
corruptions the plans through which to disrupt the Govern¬ 
ment, and he (Buchanan) was either wilfully corrupt, or so 
weak that he would or could not discharge the sworn duties 
of his office. It was during this Administration that it be¬ 
came necessary to hold the noted Covode investigation, which 
filled quite a large volume, and which but few men South 
ever saw. It was during this term Secretary Floyd had the 
Government arms removed south, thereby endeavoring to 
rob the Government of the means to maintain itself in case 
of an out-break at the South, which was intended and which 
said Secretary Floyd was known to. It was during this 
term that a secret organization was formed, its object being 
to overthrow the Government. It was during this memora¬ 
ble Administration that members of Congress, governors of 
States, and many other office-holders, could violate a sacred 
oath which was taken to maintain the Constitution of the 
United States. It was during this term that the noted 
Charleston Democratic Convention was held, in which that 
patriotic statesman, Steven A. Douglas, was sacrificed, and 
arrangements made by which three candidates were placed 
in the field from the South, so as to make sure the election 


9 


ol the Republican candidate, and thereby make a pretext to 
tire the hearts of the southern people. The secession party, 
or wing of this convention, did not go there with the inten¬ 
tion of being governed by the majority. They went there 
with treachery in their hearts; treacherous to their party; 
traitors to the Government-; treacherous to the principles of 
liberty. This minority draws off, or as they say, seceded, 
and meets in Baltimore, and nominates Mr. Breckinridge, 
having no doubt a previous understanding with him that 
he would accept the nomination. The secessionists now 
had things just as they desired so far, for they well knew 
that the Republican party would have their candidate, and 
would be almost certain to carry the election according to 
the provisions of the Constitution. Now I here make the 
assertion, and no intelligent mind can help being convinced 
of its truth, that this very influence, used by the secession 
party knowingly, purposely and premeditatedly, aided in 
the election of Mr. Lincoln. Surely they should have given 
him a fair trial after being instrumental in electing him the 
constitutional and lawful president of the United States. 
In view of these facts, the Union men of western North 
Carolina pledged themselves, if Mr. Lincoln was elected, 
they would sustain him. His election was announced, aud 
immediately the howl came up from all the cotton regious, 

4 nigger , nigger , nigger ,’ as though the salvation of the whole 
world depended upon the negro aud slavery. 

“The period for inauguration arrives; Mr. Lincoln takes 
the oath and issues his address to the people, expressing 
hopes for peace and quiet, declaring his intention to admin¬ 
ister the Government according to the Constitution, and dis¬ 
avowing any intention of interfering with the institutions of 
any of the States, &c. 

44 In the face of all this, petulant South Carolina strikes the 
fatal blow to slavery by tiring into the flag of her country. 
This step forced the President, according to the oath that 
he had taken, to take measures to put down the rebellion 
and protect the Government property. 

“The cry of the secessionists at this juncture was 4 no 
coercion, no coercion,’ and plying the question to Union men, 

* If North Carolina is called upon for men, are you going to 
fight for Lincoln or for the South ?’ and very many commit¬ 
ted themselves one way or the other before they knew what 
they were doing. 

“Time passed on and North Carolina, about the last State, 
was declared out of the Union; and how has she been 
2 


10 


dragged out? Fellow-citizens of the free and blue moun¬ 
tains of western North Carolina follow me, and I will lay 
the truth naked before you, and you will be the witnesses to 
the facts. 

“At the first election, we of the western portion of the 
State voted secession down by an overwhelming majority, 
which carried the State by a large majority. After which 
armies were raised; vigilant committees appointed throughout 
the country; a system of espionage kept up; the post offices 
and mails usurped; some barn, stable, or other old house has 
been fired; the howl is raised; some poor, friendless Union 
man perhaps arraigned, and rumors of the most startling 
character on the wing. In the meantime certain characters 
were going through the country preaching that cottdli was 
king; that the Yankees, were a nation of thieves, and would 
seize our lands, ravish our wives and daughters. We were 
told that one southern man could whip five Yankees; that 
they were a' set of cowards. We were told that secession 
would be peaceable ; and certain of these characters said 
they would drink all the blood that was spilt, or wipe it up 
with their pocket handkerchiefs. The last was a promise 
made by Jeff*. Davis in a speech made at Memphis, Tennes¬ 
see. Peaceable secession and reconstruction were the great 
arguments used in western North Carolina with the non¬ 
slaveholders. There was policy in this, there being but 
comparatively few slaveholders in the mountain district. 
The argument used with the slaveholders was ‘ eternal sep¬ 
aration ;’ an independent government, with slavery for its 
chief corner-stone. 

“ The mouths of the Union men now almost completely 
gagged; an election was ordered the second time—only a few 
days’ notice, and no discussion allowed. Thus doubly pre¬ 
pared, the farce of an election was held, and notwithstand¬ 
ing the result was heralded forth as a great triumph, there 
was but little over half the usual vote of the State, while 
thousands of illegal votes were cast. 

“ The politicians had now almost become fully initiated, 
particularly the democratic party, into this damnable heresy 
of secession. The rebel leaders at Washington, one after 
another, came home much better prepared to carry out their 
villainous purposes. They know how to work the wires, for 
they have been practicing for these many years. They had 
excited the people on the slave question in Congress and at 
home, in order to prepare them for secession, and taught 
the people that they were imposed upon by unequal tariffs, 


11 


and that separation was the only hope for their salvation; 
disgraced themselves by an effort to mob their superiors 
within the halls of the Capitol. The fact is, these tire-eaters 
went there with treason in their hearts. It was a settled 
and fixed policy with them to disrupt the Government they 
had corrupted, and were acting in the capacity of spies and 
traitors at the same time, with the hope that the Union 
would be divided peaceably, as they had persuaded the peo¬ 
ple would be done if they would secede. 

“ The rebellion has been going on nearly two years, and we 
are told that England will soon raise the blockade; that 
France would soon acknowledge the independence of the 
South ; while many openly avow that they would prefer to 
live under the crown of England or France, rather than be 
united with the .North again ; that republican governments 
had proved a failure, &c. This unveils the real objects of 
these would-be tyrants. Rise, dust of Washington, Marion 
and Jackson, and rebuke the traitors ! 

“See Life of General Francis Marion, pp. 245-246 : 

“ ‘In short, my dear sir, men will always fight for their 
government according to their sense of its value. To value 
it aright they must understand it; they cannot do without 
education, and a large portion of the citizens are poor, and 
can never attain that inestimable blessing without the aid of 
Government; it is plainly the first duty of Government to 
bestow it freely upon them ; and the more perfect the gov¬ 
ernment the greater the duty to make it known. Selfish 
and oppressive governments, indeed, as Christ observes, 
must “hate the light and fear to come to it, because their 
deeds are evil.” But a fair and cheap government like our 
Republic, “ longs for the light and rejoices to come to the 
light, that it may be manifested of God,” and well worth all 
the vigilance and valor that an enlightened nation can rally 
for its defence. And God knows a good government can 
hardly ever be half anxious enough to give its citizens a 
thorough knowledge of its own excellences. For as some 
of the most valuable truths for lack of careful promulgation 
have been lost, so the best governments on earth, if not duly 
known and prized, may be subverted. Ambitious dema¬ 
gogues will rise, and the people, through ignorance and love 
of change , will follow them; vast armies will be formed and 
bloody battles fought, and after desolating their country 
with all the horrors of civil war, the guilty survivors will 
have to bend their necks to the iron yoke of some stern 


12 


usurper, and like beasts of burden drag unpitied those gall¬ 
ing chains which they have riveted upon themselves forever.’ 

“If it were possible for the instigators to succeed in this 
rebellion, and become separate and independent of the 
North, another revolution would follow just as certain as 
night follows day. The existence of the principle of liberty 
and of equal rights is 4 inalienable and inherent in the very 
nature of man, and therefore can no more be destroyed than 
hunger or lovethat a purely republican form of govern¬ 
ment is the only one adapted to the nature of man, and the 
only one calculated to secure universal satisfaction and hap¬ 
piness, and the subjugation of man by his fellow-man is an 
open violation of the principles of human nature. If the 
leaders who were the cause of our national troubles had only 
proceeded upon this principle, subjugation and suffering in 
its many forms in our land, would not now have existed. 
By creating every man free to choose or refuse good 
and evil, God allows every man to govern himself, and 
surely then men ought to allow one another to govern 
themselves; subject, however, to the constitution and laws 
of their country, as they are to the law of God 4 rewarded 
according to their deeds.’ There is no danger that this 
principle will ever be extinguished ; but in case the subju¬ 
gation and servitude of man, in any form, should be carried 
to a very great length, there is danger, indeed a moral cer¬ 
tainty, of a revolution; and a revolution too, violent in pro¬ 
portion to the means that may bring it about. 4 Slowly but 
surely, as if it were in the insinuating yet resistless folds of the 
boa constrictor, is this serpentine aristocracy subduing and 
subjugating by piece-meal the virtuous and the talented poor 
of our country.’ But there is scarcely a possibility of a des¬ 
potic form of government in this country. No, thanks to 
the great Author of our being, man’s nature is unalterable; 
the spirit of seventy-six and the love of liberty will live and 
will increase , and woe be to the man or set of men that ride 
over it. The great doctrine of human rights, of liberty, of 
free government, of 4 independence,’ will live and spread, 
and root up and trample down every vestige of tyranny, of 
aristocracy and forcible servitude. 

“To-day, if all restraint were thrown off and the people of 
western North Carolina could have an untrammeled vote, 
they would cast a large majority for the Union of our fathers, 
notwithstanding the false assertions daily sent out that the 
South is a unit. Maryland, ( My Maryland ,) Kentucky, 
Missouri, northern Virginia, East Tennessee, and western 


13 


North Carolina, these States and parts of States have not 
suffered themselves, as strong as the current is, to be alto¬ 
gether drawn into this maelstrom of secession. Add the 
mountain portions of Georgia and Alabama which were 
coerced by those non-coercionists to that portion just named, 
and let us make the contrast between these and the remain¬ 
ing portions of the South. The first named had a better 
system of general education ; more equality in society; more , 
general intelligence and common practical sense; fewervery 
wealthy, but more frank, open and honest men, as a general 
thing better posted in governmental affairs; better acquainted 
with ethics and less with etiquette. It is clear that the 
South is divided within herself. ‘A house divided against 
itself cannot stand.’ 

“There are now thousands who have been forced' into the 
army, who do not believe the cause of the South is just any 
more than myself, and thousands more if the veil of disguise 
was thrown oft*would be of the same opinion. ‘Oh! but,’ 
says one, ‘if the Constitution had been carried out, we would 
not fight at all; ’ but every body ought to know the rebellion 
was got up on the false pretext that Mr. Lincoln was going 
to violate it; and all should know if the instigators had loved 
the Constitution better than secession, even had it been vio¬ 
lated, they would have fought for it. The fact stares every 
one in the face, that treason began before Mr. Lincoln had 
any power, had he desired such a thing, and that these cotton 
lords of creation, who own fifty, a hundred, or perhaps five 
hundred slaves, look upon a white man who has to labor for 
an honest living as no better than one of their negroes. 
Hence such epithets as ‘old Abe, the rail splitter,’ &c., as 
though splitting rails was a disgrace, and as though some of 
the best men that ever graced the halls of the Capitol had 
not split rails. But says one, ‘ this aristocracy possess much 
learning and are highly educated.’ True, many of them are. 
But what is education without common sense and justice. 
The fact is, these bombastic , highfalutin, aristocratic fools have 
been in the habit of driving negroes and poor helpless white 
people until they think they can control the world of man¬ 
kind. This nature is bred in them, and they are taught to 
think that cotton is king; that they themselves are superior; 
to hate, deride and suspicion the poor. This is education 
perverted. The people of South Carolina boast that they 
are wealthier according to white population than any other 
State. If so, what does it consist of? And if she has been 
more prosperous and gained more wealth than any of the 


14 


other States, wherein did the Government oppress her more 
than others? and why was she, above all others, for breaking 
up and destroying the very Government under whose foster¬ 
ing care she had obtained this wealth? Simply because she 
imbibed the false teachings of Calhoun, and here is the 
bottom of the whole thing. It was well said, ‘let Calhoun 
> take a pinch of snuff and the whole State would sneeze.’ 
The South has thrown off the best guarantee she will ever 
have again for the protection of slavery—the Constitution 
and the Union—mark the prediction! This rebellion has 
done the cause of slavery more injury than any thing else 
could have done. It is causing the non-slaveholder of the 
South to think. Men have brains and they will act. 

“ What has been and is to be gained by continuing the 
rebellion ? Thousands of suffering widows and orphans 
friendless, except their God; millions of confederate notes 
and shinplasters which ‘ promise to pay,’ which secessionists 
can refuse with impunity, but which Union men must take 
or be mobbed; a host of speculators who would steal the 
‘pewter off of a dead negro’s canea mock government 
through conscription ; a country going to waste as fast as 
time can move; large armies and brave men, but a bad 
cause; a host of politicians and smart men, and but few 
statesmen and honest ones; gags for the mouths of our 
wisest and best men ; brambles and briers w T here corn ought 
to grow; a mock Congress to pass conscript, tythe, and 
other odious laws, and military detailed mobs to enforce 
them; military officers who shoot boys and hang and whip 
women without trial; more lunatics than our asylums will 
hold. What else? Fort Sumter, and'treason by firing 
upon it; a different flag from the one our fathers fought 
under; millions of enemies who were once friends. And 
now what has the South lost? The respect of the civilized 
world; thousands of her deluded young men ; commercial 
intercourse with the nations of the earth; a good and reli¬ 
able currency; and we have well nigh lost our liberties; but 
thanks to God we have not lost the love of liberty, nor the 
principles of a free and republican government. ‘But,’ 
says some sprig, ‘liberty is what we are fighting for.’ 
Liberty to do what? ‘ Why the liberty of peaceable secession .’ 
The devil had the liberty to secede, but he had to take quar¬ 
ters in a different clime, no doubt where the most of the 
instigators of this suicidal war will land in the end. Talk 
about liberty! Who could desire more liberty than we, as 
a race, enjoyed, civilly, religiously, commercially, or in 


15 


any sense whatever? The truth is the liberty of the ballot- 
box was just what the instigators of the foul plot to break 
up the Union were afraid of. They were not willing even 
to risk the people of North Carolina with the privilege of 
ratifying or rejecting the ordinance of secession that pre¬ 
tended to carry them out of the Union. 

“Justice awaits the leaders at the hands of an outraged 
people. The cries of innocent women and children ' have 
ascended. The sacrifice of the blood of the youth of the 
honest poor of the country will soon make its appeal in 
despite of Jefl’. Davis and cabinet. Our brothers and sons 
are being forced against their wills and consciences into a 
a cause against the best interests of mankind, to be shot on 
the field of civil strife. 

‘ To the unhappy that unjustly bleed, 

Heaven gives posterity to avenge the deed.’ 

“We advise you to take warning and put a stop to this 
wholesale murder. 4 There is a point beyond which for¬ 
bearance ceases to be a virtue.’ Those whom you brand as 
cowards are being inspired with a courage that will put your 
rebel chivalry and boasting to shame. You who are clamor¬ 
ing for war will soon realize what war means. Though the 
writer of this, with thousands of others, may fall with the 
wreck, the spirit of our forefathers and the old Government 
will live and he maintained. This spirit, notwithstanding 
all that has been done and said, is in the hearts of the people 
of western Carolina, and it is impossible for us to remain 
neutral. The leaders have made laws that excuse none but 
the large slaveholder and a few favorites in office. I know 
that it is claimed as a military necessity. Just so ; no ty¬ 
rannical act was ever palmed off on a people without a pre¬ 
text. The chains have been forged for some time, and now 
they are being fastened upon us inch by inch, step by step. 
Freemen of the blue mountains of western North Carolina 
are you willing to hold on and support a government that 
you never wanted, and cannot maintain itself without mak¬ 
ing worse than slaves of you ? lias ever a people lost their 
liberties without just such pretexts, stratagems, and decep¬ 
tions first having been palmed oft* upon them? Just think 
of a government which, if successful, will have a border to 
defend that will keep all the young men of the common 
class of society in arms from one generation to another, and 
their parents paying government rent from their own farms 
to feed them on. Think of the condition that your wives, 
daughters, and sisters would beplaced under. 0, my country- 


16 


men, let us ponder well the admonitions and warnings of 
Washington, Webster, Clay, and others of our fathers. Have 
we not seen enough to convince us where we are being 
driven to ? Have the people realized any of the promises 
made to them if they would secede and rebel against the 
best government on earth? Not one single item in the 
whole catalogue of promises has been realized, and never 
will. Then shall we pursue further the certain destruction 
•of all hope of future happiness and liberty for ourselves and 
our posterity, for the aggrandizement of rotten and corrupt 
leaders? Arouse! Arouse! my countrymen. Where there 
is a will there is a way. 

“ A SOUTHERN CITIZEN. 

“ April, 1863.” 

This address found its way into the hands of many of the 
leading Union men throughout the western counties, and 
into some portions of East Tennessee. The Union men 
throughout the mountain district formed themselves into 
companies, squads and bands, in order to protect themselves 
from conscription ; and many who had been forced into the 
array found their way back and joined them. 

A crisis had now arrived among the Union men. The 
details and militia were hunting them down, though the 
great body of the militia were Union men, and often aided 
the party; but the details—as a general thing, the worst men 
in or out of the army—were scouring the country, and often 
shooting their prisoners without a trial. Something had to 
be done. The Union men looked upon me as their leader 
in that section, and of this I was strongly suspected by the 
rebels. My movements were closely watched. 

A kind of council among the Union men was called; a 
time appointed to meet at some point in my county. The 
day arrived, and the sheriff, for a blind, made some business 
with me and conducted me to the appointed place, in the 
woods of course. Here I was met by many of the best citi¬ 
zens of the country and some eighty conscripts, partly 
armed. 

I was informed that a speech and my counsel in this great 
emergency were desired by the assemblage. I proceeded 
with much caution to give them a talk, and advised them to 
be very careful how they conducted themselves; that it was 
impossible to remain neutral, and without arms and ammu¬ 
nition we could not defend ourselves in the country, but 
that I would suffer my tongue to be torn out by the roots, 


17 


sooner than advise them to fight against the Union, &c.; to 
keep out of the way and advise with their friends. I im¬ 
plored them not to commit any depredations on the com¬ 
munity; that it would injure the cause and endanger their 
friends. An arrangement was made for a subsequent meet¬ 
ing of the most.trusty Union men in the country. We were 
waiting and watching for East Tennessee to be relieved. 
The indications through the underground railroad of this 
event were now quite favorable, according to report. 

The reports that had now got into circulation in regard to 
my written address, and the meeting in the woods, gave my 
family much uneasiness. My life was daily threatened. The 
time for the special meeting had now arrived, and it was 
composed of some of the best citizens of the country. I 
was delegated to Tennessee. This met the approbation of 
my best friends and was sanctioned by my family, believing 
that my life was in great peril. 

I left my home and family (Hendersonville, N. C.) the last 
day of August, 1863; made my way on horse back through 
the mountains to East Tennessee without much difficulty. 
On the way I received a letter informing me that my brother 
wfith others had gone to Kentucky. After remaining with 
Union friends and connections in Cocke county, Tennessee, 
a few days, and learning all that I could pertaining to my 
object—the Federal troops were now taking possession of 
East Tennessee—on my way to Knoxville I met with Judge 
Patterson of Greenville, Tennessee, who introduced me to 
Colonel Foster. Arrived at Knoxville about the 10th Sep¬ 
tember; reported to Generals Carter and Burnside, and was 
surprised to learn from them that they knew all about my 
principles. I gave them all the points and information, so 
far as I could, in regard to western North Carolina. Here 
I learned from a soldier (a relative) that my brother was 
quite unwell, but expected to return to East Tennessee im¬ 
mediately ; and I determined to return to Cocke county and 
await my brother. Before leaving I was presented with au¬ 
thority, signed by Generals Samuel Carter and A. E. Burn¬ 
side, to raise a regiment of loyal North Carolina volunteers. 
This, no doubt, was done at the instance of my friends, and 
I knew that I could raise the men. 

On my return to Cocke county, which joins North Caro¬ 
lina, I found several of my neighbors, who had followed me 
according to previous arrangement. I dispatched several 
of them with authority to recruit and carry out the plans 
now set on foot. My object was to get out as many men as 
3 


18 


possible and get them organized; and induce the authorities, 
if possible, to let us return with a sufficient force to hold 
the country, and thereby give the down-trodden people of 
my section relief; but my zeal was too great; I was too ven¬ 
turesome. Desirous to give my family information of my 
movements, and to get my clothes and a lot of bank bills, 
in order to liquidate some debts in Baltimore, a brave iad, 
Russell Jones, volunteered his services at my suggestion to 
make the trip some seventy miles through the mountains. 
He was mounted, set out with proper instructions, &c., and 
succeeded in getting through all right; but was arrested on 
his return with about two thousand dollars bank bills and 
my best clothes. While this was going on I went to Green¬ 
ville, Tennessee, and pretty well completed my arrange¬ 
ments in getting the men out; then returned to Cocke 
county, where I learned, from a party of my men who had 
come through, the circumstances just related in regard to 
the arrest of the lad, &c. I at once proceeded to Mr. Camp¬ 
bell’s, where I had left a squad of men to guard, or rather 
watch, a pass in the mountain, and had they discharged their 
duty, all would have been well. This was on the Tennessee 
side, within the Federal lines. An infamous scoundrel had 
betrayed the men. Here I met with Mr. Yol. Jackson, who 
had fled from Tennessee on the approach of the Federal 
army. My suspicions were aroused; but knowing that I had 
charged the men to keep out a watch and give the alarm 
should anything occur, I felt secure. Mr. Jackson claimed 
to be my friend; said he came to see me in regard to get¬ 
ting the lad out of jail. I asked what his instructions were. 
He said he had no particular instructions ; that I had better 
write. I addressed a letter to the authorities at Asheville, 
stating that my business was legitimate; that I had no de¬ 
sire to hurt any North Carolinian, and to release the boy 
and send my property. If you will not send my money, as 
it is but trash in comparison, release the boy; he is but a 
child and his friends much excited in regard to him, &c. 
Mr. Jackson took the letter and left immediately. I inquired 
if the pickets were at their posts on the mountains. “0, yes! 
all right!” and in a moment the report of fire-arms came 
from every direction. Mr. Campbell, Charles Jones and 
myself, ran out of the house, but were completely sur¬ 
rounded. Every man was captured but one, and he made 
his escape through a shower of lead—one man severely 
wounded in the head. How they succeeded in getting there 
without alarm I have yet to learn—rather suspect, from what 


19 


I have heard, a woman or two decoyed the pickets. I man¬ 
aged to throw my commission under a log; whether they 
found it or not I have never been able to learn. 

I surrendered as a prisoner of war and asked to be treated 
as such, and appealed to some of the party who knew me 
well, but to no purpose. After divesting me of every cent 
of money, and even my pocket knife, we were then drawn 
up in a line, and Mr. Campbell and myself bound together 
with a cord made of split wood. Soon after Mr. Campbell 
was released from the cord, and I alone bore the fetter to 
Asheville jail. Here I was incarcerated, within six miles of 
where I was born and brought up. I could see the hills 
through the grates of the window on which I was reared 
and played in my youth; on which rest the remains of my 
aged parents; and I thought, could they appear and hail to 
me, and ask “ What are you doing there?” it consoles me 
to know that I could have answered, “ I am here for the 
love of that which you taught me to revereuce next to my 
God—the Union.” 

At Asheville I was bound with iron fetters and sent to 
Camp Vance, where I had to lay under heavy frosts without 
covering, until one bright evening, just when the trees were 
casting their longest shades, the move of a large bay horse 
quickened my pulse. In a moment my wife and little son 
were in full view. I came very near springing out of the lot. 
“Halt! halt!” fell harshly on my ear. I was permitted to see 
my wife only in the presence of the officer of the day, and 
was forbid any private conversation whatever; but I managed 
to learn from her that the papers that I had sent by the lad 
were all safe, and that they had no positive evidence against 
me. 

Some weeks after I, with a lot of other Tories , were jammed 
into a box car, without fire or water, and sent to the prison 
pens at Camp Holmes, near Raleigh ; and soon after two 
of my boys who had been captured were sent in, and I 
learned from them that many had succeeded in getting 
through, some captured, some shot, and some fell back into 
the mountains. I counseled these two men, as I did all 
others who I knew were safe, to make their escape the first 
opportunity and go to the Yankees; aud the best way to effect 
this object was to appear as cheerful as possible until a good 
opportunity offered itself; to die rather than fight against 
the United States. 

From the prison pens at Camp Holmes I was sent to 
prison at Richmond, Va. Soon after the conscript law 


20 


covered my age, and they being 44 hard up ” for soldiers, 
concluded to make one of me. Of this I was informed, and 
received the intelligence in a spirit of conformity ; not that 
I intended to raise my hand against the United States, but 
it gave me hope of escape. I was sent directly to Lee’s 
army under guard, and arrived at Brandy Station just at the 
time the Yankees took in the majority of General Hoke’s 
brigade; in this my heart rejoiced. Lee immediately fell 
back on the Rapid an. 

I was now being allowed a little liberty in camp, but from 
continued exposure and confinement, my health was quite 
feeble; and my whole study was how I should make my 
escape. I wrote to my wife to cut from the book a map of 
the State of Virginia, and send it in a letter to me ; to have 
the letter mailed at some distant post office, and to address 

the letter to-, a confidential friend. It came 

to hand all right. My wife remarked to me, after I got 
home, that she knew what I wanted with that map. This 
letter brought the sad intelligence of the death of my 
brother, who fled to Kentucky. 

The regiment to which I was assigned was ordered on 
picket near Moton’s Ford. I was placed in charge of a 
corporal, with my mess-mates—two conscripts, with whom I 
had become quite intimate, and an old soldier. I found 
from sounding with poles, that the water was too deep to 
wade, and both sides lined with ice. The early part of the 
night was very dark, and a drizzling rain was falling. I 
suggested to my two friends the idea of lashing some rails 
together as a kind of life-boat. At each of their stated two 
hours on post, the other was to assist me in fixing the raft. 
When the corporal and old soldier became weary and slept, 
we were busily engaged under a bank a few rods from a 
sink in which they slept. Just as I began to make sure of 
success, a storm of wind and hail came up and awakened 
the corporal, who called out, 4 - 4 What are you doing ? you 
have let the fire burn down.” 44 We have been sheltering 
under some trees,” replied one of my comrades. Thus we 
were disappointed, and the work of demolishing the raft 
was performed by one, whilst the others made a fire with the 
rails, in order to conceal our object. The reader will bear 
in mind that I was still held as a prisoner, but with extended 
privileges. This night’s work and exposure and disappoint¬ 
ment prostrated me, and I was sent to hospital at Orange 
Court House ; thence to Richmond, where I remained from 
January until July following. It was thought at one time 




21 


that I would not recover, but in April I got on foot. Here 
(at Jackson and Winder hospitals) I saw many old acquaint¬ 
ances, and had every facility of corresponding with my 
friends, without the use of the mails, through furloughed 
soldiers. The hospitals were frequently over-run with 
patients. During my six months in these hospitals, I have 
no doubt that I did the confederate cause more injury than 
I could have done at the headtof my contemplated regiment. 
Hundreds are now living, many of whom went through the 
lines, and can testify to the fact that I gave them the points 
and advised them to go through the lines. Of course I used 
a great deal of caution in this. 

A plau was set on foot by some of my friends, by which 
they supposed I could be released and sent home. An elec¬ 
tion was coming oft* in August for State legislators. I was 
informed that the Union party of my county was going to 
run ray name secretly, and if they succeeded I was bound 
to be released and sent home. In order that the reader may 
fully understand, I will state that at this time there was a 
regular secret line of communication between Knoxville, 
Tennessee, and the mountains of western North Carolina, 
and some portions of my section were being held by the 
Union men, all about which I was fully apprised. About 
this time a letter addressed to me by a friend was violated 
and divulged the plans in regard to the election. In order 
to relieve my friends from further suspicion of a secret de¬ 
sign, I wrote a card stating that “ I had not changed my 
principles in the least; that I was in favor of an election in 
order to get the voice of the people in regard to a State con¬ 
vention in favor of restoration and peace, and that I was a 
candidate on these grounds.” Instead of appeasing it ex¬ 
asperated. 

I had written and sent home a package of letters by a 
furloughed soldier, (a cousin,) several of which were extorted 
from my friends, and extracts published in the Henderson 
Times , with comments. I will quote from that paper and 
italicise the extracts taken from my letters. He commences 
thus : 

“ A. H. Jones. —* * * We have felt it to be our duty to 
notice Mr. Jones before this, but from private personal con¬ 
siderations and former personal intimacy we have foreborne 
to do so. But we are in a crisis, in peril, in jeopardy. * * 
American liberty is now an outcast at home and abroad ; 
she seeks an abiding-place in the South. And that liberty 
may abide with us our army is battling with the minions of 


22 


the tyrant, with the hordes of vagabonds gathered from half 
the nations under heaven. * * * At first led away by his 
prejudices he formed bad associations, and attempted to or¬ 
ganize disloyal men for the invasion of this section under 
his leadership. * * * He says, if men could witness what he 
has they would favor 'peace on almost any terms, unless they are 
very demons. * * * We hope to see more of these letters 
in time for next week. * * * Let us have the facts. The 
recipients are known, and may well be suspected of smug¬ 
gling and concealing disloyal sentiments. * * * Two more 
of Mr. A. H. Jones’ letters have been handed to us. They 
are as corrupt as it is possible to make them. * * * He says 
that he has never yet raised his hand against the government of 
his choice , and it seems to him that he would sooner die than do 
so. * * * He says that he knows that General Grant has as¬ 
sumed a very strong position , and that the fall of Richmond is 
only a matter of time .” 

The young man with whom I entrusted the package of 
some twenty letters took a relapse, and did not deliver ^he 
letters in person. This accounts for their exposure. Among 
them was one addressed to my wife, which was referred to 
in one of the others. This excited suspicion, and the letter 
was demanded and refused. I had taken the precaution to 
vrite two of the same date, and placed them in the same 
envelope, for the reason that my children and friends read 
my letters. One of these was Written as an ordinary family 
letter. The other was strictly forbidden ; it contained in¬ 
structions in regard to my eldest son, whom, I had under¬ 
stood, they were endeavoring to get into the rebel service. 
I stated in this letter that I would sooner hear of his burial, 
and gave ray wife instructions in certain contingencies. An 
order was issued at headquarters, Asheville, to arrest my 
wife and take her to jail, unless she would produce the let¬ 
ter. An officer entered her chamber, accompanied by her 
51 * * with the order, in the presence of three grown daugh¬ 
ters, the eldest of whom was insane, and now an inmate of 
the lunatic asylum, caused, as I shall always believe, by the 
effects of the hated rebellion. She surrendered the one, but 
had burned the other. It did not correspond with the one 
referred to, but there was the date, the handwriting and my 
signature ; it was a puzzle for them. I had instructed my 
wife, in case there was a raid made into the country, which 
was expected soon, to apply to the commander and take the 
family through the lines and let the property go ; that I was 
gaining strength, and that I intended to go through or 


23 


perish in the attempt. “ Be sure to send Thaddeus off 
immediately.” 

Just as I was getting fairly able to walk about, I had no¬ 
tice to appear at hospital headquarters. Suspecting some¬ 
thing, I at once destroyed all letters and apers in my pos¬ 
session, except the map of Virginia, which I folded into as 
small a compass as possible, with a I w dollars in gold, and 
concealed them as near the centre o gravity as possible. 

In custody I was sent before the provost marshal, where 
1 was searched for papers, and wher he newspaper articles 
from which I have quoted—having been cut out and pasted 
together, with the letters that had teen seized—were pre¬ 
sented to me. I acknowledged to writing the letters, with 
the remark that they were private letters, and simply con¬ 
tained my opinions. “I suppose then,” said he, “you are 
a Union man; are you not ? ” I replied, “ I suppose you have 
asked me for the truth ?” “ Certainly, sir,” said he, rather 

sharply. I told him that I had always been a constitutional 
Union man. He hastily writes a committment. “ Here, take 
this man to Castle Thunder; he is a dangerous character.” 
I was then conducted to the prison door, where I was 
researched, and I began to think my map and gold would 
“go up,” but they did not. This was in July. I was 
assigned to appartment No. 10—the disloyal room—where I 
found about one hundred and twenty-live others, of all 
grades of society. There were about one thousand in all in 
the different apartments—male and female. I secured my 
map and money by cutting a hole in the waistband of my 
pants with a piece of glass I submitted to my fate with as 
much fortitude as possible; but starvation and the water 
soon prostrated me again, and I soon became insensible, and 
was removed to the hospital department of the prison, where 
my memory, after so long, returned to me. The lice had 
preyed upon me until the surface of my skin was a solid 
sore, and the skin cut through on my hips. I must say from 
this time, one of the surgeons acted with some humanity 
towards me. Finally I got on foot, and was returned to 
room No. 10, and, after remaining in Castle Thunder nearly 
four months, I was sent to the barracks; thence to Peters¬ 
burg the 8th of November; the 9th was returned to Rich¬ 
mond, and the next morning to the provost marshal’s office, 
where a large package of papers were handed to my special 
guard, with orders to take special care of me. I was sent 
to Staunton. Fresh air and exercise aboard the cars, with 
better rations, had gained me considerable strength. 


24 


The regiment to which I had been assigned was at New 
Market, in the Valley. I knew that a trial before a drum¬ 
head court martial was pending, and now I doubled my for¬ 
mer resolve to make my escape or die, without being court 
martialed. Preparatory to this end, I divested myself, of 
everything, except what I could wear and my blanket. 
Between three and four hundred conscripts, deserters, and a 
few special prisoners, were put on the march for New 
Market. Being fearful of my strength, and anxious to get as 
far north as possible, I made an arrangement with one of 
the guards to ride occasionally, by giving him all the con¬ 
federate stuff that I had. 

The morning of the 17th November found us in a little 
less than a day’s march of New Market. Something had to 
be done soon. No possible chance offering itself, I deter¬ 
mined on a desperate attempt: that was to dash off on the 
horse, get to the woods, and leave him; but no sooner had I 
made this resolve, than I found that Early’s army was 
scattered all along on either side of the road. On reaching 
New Market, the guards were immediately changed. I saw 
that the officers whose business it was to detail the men 
were drinking. Sheridan had been pitching in, and every¬ 
thing was in confusion. I caught a chance, and as quick as 
thought I was among the conscripts, and in a twinkling I 
applied to one of the conscript guards for permission to step 
to one side. “ All right,” said he, “just pass out beyond 
that brick church.’’ My thoughts were like electricity. 
Squads of men were being hurried off up the same road we 
had gone down. This was a crisis with me. Looking round 
I saw that I could return by way of an alley, and drop in 
with a squad of men that were being sent off. Dropping in, 
and keeping as near the centre of the squad as possible, I 
could not avoid looking back, fearing detection. After 
making two miles, said I: “Well, boys, I leave you here.” 

“ Halloo ! ” says the officer of the squad, “ don’t you belong 
here?” “No, sir'ee /” said I, “guess not.” Takes out his 
list; finds his compliment without me. Said he, “All 
right; I have nothing to do with you.” 

On the west side, about four hundred yards, near the top 
of a small mountain, I struck the woods. Just in front of 
me I discovered an ordnance train. As quick as thought I 
bore a little to the right, and passed on to the highest 
point of the mountain. Here I brought my map into requi¬ 
sition. The village on the right, Rhodes’ division to my left, 
and the Little Shenandoah river running round in front. 


25 


Very soon I got the position of the picket lines, concealed m}'- 
self and retrospected until dark. The stars shining brightly 
and everything under foot very dry, I had to move with 
great caution, and soon found that it was next to impossible 
to pass the lines under the circumstances, and retraced my 
steps to the little mountain, made me a bed of leaves aud 
slept soundly until morning tattoo, the 18th November. I 
spent this day in making observations, and eat the only 
cracker I had. The evening was cloud}' and drizzling rain. 
This was a God-send to me. I had selected a mountain 
across the valley for an object. Night came, and I set out a 
second time; approached a shoal in the river, the noise of 
which led me to a shallow place; about midway the river I 
stumbled over some slick rock, which drew the fire of a 
sentinel on the bank near where I had gone in at; the 
ilash of the gun lighted the river all round for a moment; 
but with double care I succeeded in crossing, and had to 
pass another picket line at the base of the mountain, which 
was so steep I had to pull up by my hands; some distance 
up I accidentally started a stone, the noise of which drew 
the fire of another picket, but I was half up, and soon gained 
the summit. My course was northwest, in the direction of 
a large ledge of mountains selected during the day. The 
camp fires, now in my rear, served me as a guide all the 
early part of the night. Weak and tired, I moved slowly 
until about two or three o’clock, by which time it was snow¬ 
ing aud I had struck the mountains. My strength failing 
me, I threw myself across some limbs of a fallen tree top; 
almost instantly I fell into a kind of stupor, and immedi¬ 
ately followed a shiver that brought every nerve into play ; 
my teeth began to rattle; a chill had seized upon me; a 
thought and an effort to regain my feet, but failed for the 
moment. “ Great God,” I involuntarily exclaimed, “ am I to 
perish after all!” After considerable effort, I succeeded in 
moving off’. Daylight, November 19th, found me near a 
large gap in the mountain ; proceeded to it; heard a cavalry 
horn a little to the right of where I had passed, which served 
to caution me. To the left in a little valley, I discovered 
some houses, and proceeded to reconnoiter; refreshments 
being indispensable with me any longer. From among 
several homesteads I selected one and ventured in, and to 
my great comfort found myself in a room heated up by a 
large stove, and a nice old dutch lady occupying the same. 
A "few words satisfied me that there was no immediate 
danger, and told the lady that I wanted something to eat; 

4 


pointing to my wet blanket and exhibiting a large worsted 
haversack that was concealed under my coat, (one that my 
wife had brought me at Camp Vance.) In a minute’s time 
I was seated at the table, knife and fork in hand, the first 
time now more than a year, to an excellent cold breakfast. 
My haversack was filled to its utmost capacity, in payment 
for which I left my blanket. Whilst eating, obtained all the 
information that I could by asking as few questions as possi¬ 
ble. During my short stay here my feet swelled, and it was 
all that I could do to make a start. The snow by this time 
had covered the ground to the depth of two or three inches, 
and I had not gone far until I crossed a road, the sign in 
which showed that a troop of mounted men had passed, no 
doubt the same from whence came the sound of the horn 
that I had heard. I at once struck into the south side of a 
mountain, immediately in my front, which was very rugged 
and rocky. For fear of being pursued I walked at least a 
half mile, stepping from the point of one rock to another 
that stuck above the snow, in order to evade being tracked. 
By the time I gained the summit of the mountain the sky 
was blue, with the exception of an occasional flying cloud. 
On examing my map I found the road in the valley from 
whence I had just emerged, and could see from where I 
stood horsemen traveling the same to and fro. Thankful 
for the narrow escape I turned my eyes and course north¬ 
ward, and had not proceeded far until I espied a cabin away 
in the distance. Many winds I was compelled to make be¬ 
fore I reached it. After reconnoitering I went in and found 
a dutch widow and children. “Good evening” said I. 
“Good eveninct, thir, cotnt to de fire ant warrnt yer tlielf.” 
I was not long in finding out their sentiments—Union to the 
hub—she informed me that some Georgians had killed her 
son Jake. 

It was quite a cold night, and with her assurances I con¬ 
cluded to risk myself by her log fire. Next morning, the 
20th, I found that it was impossible for me to travel. The 
old lady sent for her son-in-law, who kindly assisted me in 
reaching a log cabin about two miles distant, and provided 
me with some matches. I spent the evening meditating 
upon my physical condition. No medicine, nothing to rub 
my swollen and stiffened limbs. Half reclining, with my 
body upon the puncheon floor and my head upon a stool; 
gazing round the walls, canceling these things in my mind, 
my eyes caught upon some deer’s feet sticking in a crack. 
It reminded me in a moment of a stock cabin, once my fath- 


er’s, in the mountains of western North Carolina. I thought, 
0, if I was only like I used to be, how I could scale these 
mountains. “Necessity is the mother of invention.” I 
broke the bones of the deer’s legs and bathed my joints with 
the oil. Next morning, the 21st, found me improved a 
little, and concluded to remain ; I washed, eat, and bathed 
my limbs with the deer’s oil, and made myself as comforta¬ 
ble as possible. 

About twelve o’clock a strange-looking man entered the 
cabin and handed me a flask of brandy, which I used exter¬ 
nally and internally. He informed me all about the country 
through which I had to pass, &c. It rained all day. At 
night I bathed as usual, and found myself much better next 
morning, the 22d, and set out according to directions, and 
made several miles, taking my time, knowing my strength, 
and passed the night in a school house, where I eat the last 
of my provisions. A considerable snow fell during the 
night. 

The morning of the 23d of November I set out and had to 
pass a settlement and some picket posts in the gaps of the 
mountains, in order to gain the waters of Lost river. Very 
heavy mountains to encounter, and the snow stuck hist to 
the bushes, which gave me much difficulty; but succeeded 
in gaining the north side, and late in the evening I was 
passing a defile, between two very rugged mountains, along 
a small stream. The columns of rock on either side made 
it impossible to get round. I was cautiously moving down 
this defile, when just ahead I saw an opening to a sort of 
valley; a few steps further and I was within thirty paces of 
a mill, a distillery, and some six or eight cavalry horses 
hitched; five steps back, and I was out of sight of these. 
But hold! I heard horses approaching in the direction that 
I had come; my thoughts were like electricity; it was a life 
and death case ; no possible chance to go forward nor back¬ 
ward; to stand still was to go up certain. To my right 
stood a laurel, and a cedar bush immediately on the brink of 
the creek bank, about three feet above the water. In a 
thought I was in the creek, under the roots of the bushes, 
which concealed me. In a moment more, and the approach¬ 
ing horses passed almost immediately over me. The jar of 
their feet caused lumps of dirt to fall on me. I remained in 
that position until I heard the party leave, by which time it 
was quite dark and cold. Cold and stiff, I struggled some 
time before I gained the road. I passed down as quickly as 
possible, and after going about a mile I saw a light off to 


t 


28 

my right, and approached near enough to see a woman and 
two children in a neat cabin. I hailed at the door and 
asked permission to warm, which was granted. A few 
words, and I readily learned all about the scouts. “They 
areMosby’s devils, hunting brandy, conscripts and deserters,” 
said she, in a tone that I never mistook in a woman. I 
learned many valuable things from her by asking as few 
questions as possible. She gave me supper, and it being 
very cold I remained by the fire until the moon rose the 
morning of the 24th. My object was to pass some springs, 
formerly a summer resort, before daylight, and make the 
waters of the South Potomac, near Moorfield C. II., during 
the day. Late in the evening passed a dead man in blue 
clothes. I had been in sight of Moorfield from the time I 
topped the mountain. Notwithstanding I was born and 
brought up in the valley of. the French Broad river, imme¬ 
diately between two of the highest mountains, from actual 
measurement from the level of the sea, anywhere east of the 
Rocky mountains, to wit: Mount Pisgah and Mount Mitchel, 
where, in exploring the latter, Professor Mitchel lost his 
life by losing his foothold ou a bluff—I repeat, notwith¬ 
standing all this, I have never see'n heavier or more rugged 
mountains than those about the head-waters of the Little 
Shenandoah, Lost and South Potomac rivers. 

Finding it impossible to pass without goingnearMoorfield, 
headquarters for a portion of Mosby’s command at that time. 

This evening was bitter cold, and I had made a heavy 
day’s travel through the snow without anything to eat. I 
made for a double cabin within two miles of the village. 
Dark found me at bey by a very fierce dog, by which I 
learned there was no one about but some women. Very soon 
I was at the fire, depending upon the faithful dog to give 
the alarm should any one approach the house. In less than 
one minute’s time, “bow, wow, wow,” the dog went. I 
stepped out to wait the result. “ It’s nobody but dad,” said 
a girl. He was quite an old gentleman—a shoemaker. The 
old lady and three or four strapping girls were sewing, and 
the old gentleman plying his vocation. The house was reg¬ 
ularly visited by the soldiers, as I learned from the follow¬ 
ing: “Dad, is Bill coming for his shoes to-night? Nance, 
is Henry coming for his pants to-night? Molly, have you 
got Jake’s shirt done ? he said he would be sure to come to¬ 
night.” “Bow, wow, bow, wow, wow,” went the faithful 
dog again. Everybody at the front door but me, and I out 
at the back one. A large torchlight approaching soon re- 


29 


vealed the mystery. Two women who lived in a cabin hard 
by, coming from town, came into the house to warm, and 
the following conversation ensued : “ Any soldiers in town 
to-night, Mrs.?” “No, bless you, they are afraid to stay in 
town since the Feds, run them out the other day. They go 
out and camp in the coves at night, and go into town in the 
daytime.” “Wonder if anybody has buried that Swamp the 
boys killed upon the mountain the other day 1” “ No, they 

say not.” I asked what they called a Swamp. “Law, don’t 
you kuow what a Swamp is? Why, it’s a home-made Yankee. 
The boys wounded one and started off with him, the other 
day, and got him up into the mountain and killed him.” 
This explained all about the dead man that I had seen. At 
a late hour the two women left. I turned to the old lady 
and, exhibiting a gold dollar, told her I wanted something 
to eat. The bargain was made, and before daylight, the 
morning of the 25th, my breakfast was eaten, and I was in 
the act of starting, when to my great regret the old man was 
ready to accompany me to town. I had told them I was 
going to the village. We started, and had not proceeded far 
until I frankly told the old fellow that I was not going to 
town, and he must not say anything about me. I turned to 
the right, and had not gone far until I came to a small pas¬ 
ture field. He had beaten me there, and had bridled a horse. 
“What,” said I, “going to ride?” “Yes.” I again begged 
him to say nothing about me ; that he saw what a condition 
I was in, and that I was after no harm, and was only trying 
to save my life, and it was in his hands if he chose to use it. 
Said he, “I understand you now; you are trying to get 
north, and you are right. I was fearful you were trying to 
get my horse, or I should not have started with you. But,” 
continued he, “you must not go so much to the right; go 
lower down ; Mosby’s men are camped up in them coves, 
and will catch you.” Daylight was just making its appear¬ 
ance. “See,” said he, “that road over there; I would 
advise you to go quick,” pointing the direction for me. I 
was oft, and crossing the road and passing up a steep bluff* 
barely out of sight, when I heard cavalry coming down the 
road. Concealing myself, I could see them plain, and it was 
now light enough for me to see the smoke rising from the 
coves to my right and in front of me, and could hear voices 
and the tramp of horses all round. Here I remained all 
day; at night made a little headway. Next morning, the 
26th, I found myself on a mountain nearly opposite Moor- 
field, and bearing a little to the right, to avoid roads and 


30 


plantations, I traveled slowly all day, crossing several roads. 
At nightfall I struck the main road leading to Romney, as 
I learned from my map. There was no sign of travel except 
a strange-looking, to me, foot-print, made by a very broad 
square-toed shoe, going in the same direction of myself. I 
ventured to travel this road until a late hour at night, when, 
from fatigue, hunger and weakness, I was compelled to stop, 
and after succeeding in raising a fire and making me a bed 
of split rails to keep me off the wet ground, and not having 
slept any for three nights, I immediately fell asleep, and 
when I awoke was in the act of eating a sweet morsel. Sad 
disappointment; it was a dream. Daylight of the 27tn 
made its appearance, and I fell into the road and traveled 
about a mile, when all at once large farms were spread out 
before me, with excellent improvements, situated on the 
river. I turned to the right and encircled these, winding 
my way across sharp ridges, now and then coming upon two 
or three fine horses haltered in the thickets. Continuing to 
reconnoitre, I hoped to find a safe place to get something to 
eat. The snow had now quite gone off* in the valleys, and 
it was now about noon, and whilst sitting upon a log on the 
sunny side of a sharp ridge, near the top, I heard a pack of 
hounds away in the distance from whence I had come. This 
reminded me of the chase that I had so often enjoyed in my 
native mountains. On they sped, sometimes apparently on 
a trail, at others in full chase. As they came nearer the 
thought struck me like magic that they were on my trail. 
I instantly moved to the highest point on the spur of the 
mountain, from which I could see everything that was going 
on, and survey the ground over which I had come. I deter¬ 
mined to satisfy myself before resorting to any measure to 
evade them, and in case they made a certain gap of a ridge 
through which I had passed, which was now in plain view, 
I would put one of my plans into immediate execution. 
The suspense was awful, but it did not last long, for in less 
than a minute’s time they were coming through the gap full 
drive. I was now very much excited, and hurried to a spot 
where I had passed three fine horses hitched. I loosed the 
best looking one and mounted him, with a good brush in my 
hand. On I sped over logs, through the brushwood, until 
I reached the head of the cove; then turning to the left 
through a gap in the direction which I was traveling. On I 
went until I was hemmed in on my right and in front by 
bluffs. I released the horse and made my way to a spur of 
a ridge overlooking the road, river, and everything in the 


31 


vicinity. Seeing some shocks of corn in a field just below 
me I remained here until night, and pressed four or five ears 
of corn, which I ate. I had not eaten anything for three 
days except sassafras buds and roots. Excitement will some¬ 
times cause one to forget their suffering. I never knew 
what became of the hounds. I shall always believe a man 
who w^as hauling wood saw and reported me. 

1 don’t know which party the citizens were hiding their 
horses from; perhaps both. I traveled all night; passed 
Romney about three o’clock; took the wrong road; trav¬ 
eled some five miles; saw a light in a house; called in and 
got a good breakfast. Here I found that my feet were frost¬ 
bitten. After receiving instructions, the morning of the 
28th, I spent the day in making five miles to the residence 
of a Mr. Haynes. I could not refrain from tears; from the 
kind treatment of this gentleman and his lady I received 
all the attention possible. On drawing my old socks the 
skin cleaved from the flesh. They were anointed and dressed 
by the good lady. A nice supper, bed and breakfast. With 
full directions I hobbled oft*; struck the river at the wire 
bridge, (destroyed;) found a man in blue ready to set me 
over, and he informed me that I was entirely out of danger. 
Passing through Springfield I reached Green Springs, Md., 
in the evening. I immediately reported to the comman¬ 
der of the post, and requested him to send me to Cumber¬ 
land, Maryland. “ All right,” said he; “ the cars will be here 
in a few minutes, and I will send you.” The cars arrived in 
due time, and I soon found myself at the provost marshal’s 
office at Cumberland, the evening of the 29th November, 
1864. 

I related all the circumstances in my case, at the same 
time giving good references as to the facts. I remained here 
three days, and was very kindly treated, especially by Acting 
Post Adjutant J. H. Rhind. Here I received railroad trans¬ 
portation to Wheeling, Virginia, with instructions to that 
department, where I was kindly received, and furnished first- 
class passage, on board the steamer Peerless, to Cincinnati, 
Ohio. Arrived at Cincinnati December 4th, and reported to 
Provost Marshal A. C. Jones, who sent me to the Relief 
Commission. Here I was taken sick, and is it to be won¬ 
dered at, having been exposed for fifteen months under con¬ 
tinual excitement; yea, for nearly four years ? The change, 
so sudden; the liability of eating too much immediately 
after the next thing to starvation. I was a perfect wreck of 
humanity; but medical attention and kind treatment, with 


32 


clean clothes and good diet, I was soon transposed, as it 
were, and made anew. Here, among strangers, with my 
liberties restored, amidst plenty and prosperity, the reflec¬ 
tions of these things had a tendency to a redoubled hatred 
of those black and murderous hearts and treacherous hands 
which smote the flag of my country—the emblem of lib¬ 
erty—and drove me from my native section and family. 

Looking over the Daily Cincinnati Commercial early one 
morning, I read an editorial account of Captain Albert 
Grant’s making his escape from prison, (Columbia, South 
Carolina;) the thrilling account of his kind treatment the 
moment he struck the mountains of western North Carolina; 
getting his shoes mended in a cave; furnished with pro¬ 
visions and pilots through the lines, &c. On investigation 
I found that he had passed within a few miles of my native 
village. A few evenings after Mr. Davis, correspondent of 
the New York Herald , addressed a very large assemblage at 
Mozart Hall, giving an account of his escape from Salisbury 
prison, North Carolina. In that part of his discourse rela¬ 
tive to his kind treatment the moment he struck the moun¬ 
tain counties ; the faithfulness of the Union men ; their do¬ 
ings ; the treatment that their families were receiving from 
the hands of the rebel details, &c., elated and excited me to 
such an extent that I could scarcely restrain the emotions of 
my mind. 

From here (Cincinnati) I addressed a letter to the Secre¬ 
tary of War, Edwin M. Stanton, which was referred to Gen¬ 
eral Palmer. Also one, through my friend Dr. W. R. Sevier 
of East Tennessee, to General Samuel Milligan, giving un¬ 
doubted reference as to the statements contained in the let¬ 
ter; by which means I obtained a passport and transporta¬ 
tion to Knoxville, Tennessee. 

Left Cincinnati the first day of March for Knoxville, by 
way of Seymore, Indiana, Louisville, Kentucky, Nashville 
and Chattanooga, Tennessee. At the latter place met with 
Colonel Smoot, of Wilkes county, North Carolina, and near 
which, in passing through Missionary Ridge, the tunnel fell 
in on the train, smashing some cars, killing two and wound¬ 
ing several other soldiers. Arrived at Knoxville and met 
many of my old friends and acquaintances, and from whom 
I received many pleasing as well as painful accounts of 
occurrences that had taken place during my absence. Here 
I learned that the plans which I had set on foot resulted in 
the organization of two full regiments and the third one 
started. The third was stationed here, commanded by Col- 


33 


onel Kirk; the second at Cumberland Gap, commanded by 
Colonel Bartlett of Ohio. Among these were the following 
commissioned officers from my own county; Captain Hamil¬ 
ton, Captain Levi Jones, Lieutenant Anderson, Lieutenant 
Bradley and Lieutenant Morrison. Besides these regiments 
hundreds had joined Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and 
Ohio regiments, and hundreds besides in other Government 
employ. 

Scarcely a day passed now without some intelligence from 
western North Carolina. The details, alias horse-thieves, 
were ravaging the country, distressing the citizens, women 
and children; many of whom cared neither for king nor 
country. I have no allusion to the militia. 

That the rebellion was now about over was apparent to 
every well-informed mind. General Thomas was now 
making a move in the direction of Richmond, and I ad¬ 
vanced with a portion of the army to Greenville, Tenn., to 
await an advance into western North Carolina. Here I 
came very near going up the “spout” again. The garrison 
stationed here was ordered away ; the Fourth Tennessee 
and others to take their place, which left a gap of only one 
day, during which time about a hundred of Vaughn’s men 
pitched into the town with a savage yell, only for which they 
might have got me; but having learned that “ eternal vigi¬ 
lance was the price of liberty,” I made my escape with three 
or four others, and fell back to Lick creek near Bull’s Gap, 
and remained with the army until I got notice that Colonel 
Kirby, ;of the Fourth army corps, was ordered to make a 
feint movement with a brigade on Ashville, and was invited 
to go along, which I did. I had been interrogated by the 
officers and asked my opinion in regard to the place and the 
men. I told them that I knew that many of the men, the 
majority in my opinion, were Union men, and were held 
there by force alone; and if they would make a feint 
attack the Union men would disperse, and the place could 
be taken without much loss of life on either side. While at 
Knoxville I had received messages to this effect from reliable 
men, &c. The arrangement was this: while Kirby feigned 
an attack to allow all that would to disperse, General Gillum 
was to come in the rear and capture the place ; all of which 
was effectually accomplished without the loss of a half 
dozen men on both sides. Just about this time, the news of 
Lee’s surrender was hailed with much rejoicing in the army 
and throughout the country. 

I fell back to Greenville with Colonel Kirby’s command, 
5 


34 


and after remaining a short time, the North Carolina regi¬ 
ments with some cavalry took quiet possession of the 
country; when finally, on the first day of May, I reached 
my home and family after an absence of nearly two years, 
where I was heartily greeted by all. What a mighty change. 
Most of the desperate characters had fled from the country 
on the approach of the Union army, and the refugees 
returning home; and a strong disposition on the part of 
many to retaliate for the injuries they had received, and 
summary punishment being inflicted in many instances, 
against which I protested ; I advised peace and the restora¬ 
tion of law and order in the country. A convention of the 
Union party was held at a celebration of the Fourth of July 
in Hendersonville, in which I received the nomination, 
unanimously, as the candidate to represent the people of 
Henderson and Transylvania counties in the State conven¬ 
tion. Before the people I received nearly eleven votes to 
one over my opponent, notwithstanding I was pronounced 
the negro equality candidate in a printed circular. This was 
done because, in addressing the people on the Fourth, I told 
them that slavery had played out; that there was no 
longer a slave on the American continent; and that James 
Buchanan, Jeff. Davis, Yancy, Rhett & Co. had destroyed 
the institution under the title of secession, and did not 
deserve any credit for it from either party; and that it was 
our duty as a people to use the great lesson that the rebellion 
had taught us to the best possible advantage in the future, 
&c. 

In the State convention ordinances were passed abrogat¬ 
ing secession; involuntary servitude forever abolished, and 
to prohibit the rebel war debt or any part thereof from ever 
being paid. Myself and colleagues from the mountain 
counties, now comprising the seventh congressional district, 
almost to a man voted for these measures. I prepared and 
offered a proposition for the protection of and regulating 
contracts with the freedmen, but it was ruled out by the 
committee on business for the consideration of the con¬ 
vention. 

During the sitting of the convention printed notices were 
laid upon the desks of the members, stating that there was 
not the least hope or probability that the congressional test 
oath would be removed or modified. In consideration of 
these things, it was proposed by some of the “ straightest ” 
Union members, that I announce my name as a candidate 
for Congress, which I did; and the time being so short as to 


35 


render it impossible to canvass the district, I issued a circu¬ 
lar setting forth the course that I had pursued before the 
war, during the war, and after the war; and notwithstanding 
a circular was issued at Ashville by one of my opponents, 
J. R. Love, only a few days previous to the election, and 
scattered throughout the district by his secession emissaries, 
grossly misrepresenting me, knowing that I could not meet 
and refute the slanders until the election was over, the 
result of which stands thus: 

A. H. Jones, uncompromising Upion-3,486 votes. 

Tod R. Caldwell, Esq., claims to be Union-1,688 “ 

B. S. Gaither, Esq., Union in the outset of 
the war, but did not stick; ex-member of 

the rebel congress-2,316 “ 

J. R. Love, Esq., original secessionist, and a 

rebel colonel—- —1,619 “ 

Scattering- 300 “ 

Many Union men went to the polls, intending to vote for 
me, but declined casting a vote on account of the charge 
made in Love’s circular. The charge, in short, was this: 
that I had voted in the convention for a proposition to 
punish all who had been in the rebel service, &c., after they 
had beeu pardoned by the President. The object of this 
was to keep that portion of the Union voters, who had been 
forced in one way or another into the rebel service, from 
supporting me, and succeeded to a considerable extent where 
I was not well known. 

From actual calculation it is ascertained that from the 
twenty counties composing the mountain or seventh con¬ 
gressional district of North Carolina, with the additional 
county of Wilkes, no less than five thousand seven hundred 
and ninety white males, from the age of seventeen years 
and upwards, crossed the lines; three-fourths of which 
number were in the Federal army, besides one hundred and 
eighty-three who it is known lost their lives in the effort to 
get through. 

According to the request of many friends, I have given a 
faithful and simple statement of facts in regard to the course 
that I have pursued; and occupying the position that I now 
do, I cannot, consistent with my feelings, close without a 
word to my constituents. 

The war is over, and its results defined. Let all strike 
hands in friendship, in mutual forbearance. Let us forget 
the gloomy past. Let the many wounds that have been in¬ 
flicted be healed. Let us forgive and be forgiven, and once 






36 


more unite our efforts in the pursuit of prosperity and hap¬ 
piness. This is due to ourselves, to our posterity, and to 
our common country. 

The great bone of contention is removed, to wit, slavery; 
and, comparatively speaking, we feel it less than most any 
other portion of the South, being but proportionally few of 
the freedmen among us. Towards these it is our duty to 
be charitable. They had no agency whatever within them¬ 
selves in bringing on the war, while the very means used to 
keep them in bondage has been instrumental in their free¬ 
dom. We cannot reasonably blame them for wanting to be 
free. It is a boon that all human beings desire, and the fiat 
has gone forth ; the decree is passed and unalterably fixed 
that the colored race is henceforward and forever free. Had 
I the power I would not restore slavery. It would be an 
incubus to the security of the Government, to the advance¬ 
ment of the age, and to the interests of western Horth 
Carolina. It seems that the war had to come; it is now 
over; let us abide its results as one of the great events in 
God’s providence. 

I took the grounds in my circular in favor of colonization 
at the earliest practicable period,'but I now believe if coloni¬ 
zation ever takes place it will be a voluntary thing on the 
part of the colored race; and this is not a probable result 
for years to come, if ever. Hence it is the duty of the State 
to provide laws to secure them in person, property and law¬ 
ful pursuits, and to encourage tbem to honesty, industry 
and morality. 

I have no doubt that in a few years the revolution, though 
an awful shock, will prove beneficial individually and na¬ 
tionally. It will develop a greater energy in our people, 
unless, as is too often the case according to history, the vic¬ 
torious party oppress the conquered to too great an extent. 
We hope and believe it will be otherwise with the United 
States, especially those portions of the South which have 
shown such a strong devotion to the Government. Speaking 
the same language, professing the same religion, and asso¬ 
ciated in the hallowed memories of the past, it would be 
unmanly and unchristian to exhibit toward us any other 
than a generous spirit and kind treatment. An unforgiving 
disposition is an indication of a low and brutal nature. 
“ To err, is human; to forgive, divine.” 

But for those who have been leading the rebellion, occu¬ 
pying high positions, military and civil, with all the vindic¬ 
tiveness and ingenuity that could be brought to bear to 


37 


break up the Union for four years, now to come in and oc¬ 
cupy the most responsible positions in the Government, is 
unreasonable and ought not to be expected ; especially those 
who plied their vocations to this end while holding offices 
in the Government of the United States previous to the 
war. 

Western North Carolina, in many respects, is a*peculiar 
and interesting section of country. It is bounded on the 
- north by East Tennessee and southwestern Virginia; on the 
west by East Tennessee; on the south by northern Georgia 
and South Carolina. Occupying the highest altitude of any 
section east of the Rocky mountains—the blue ridge run¬ 
ning through it from a southwest in a northeast direction— 
it is noted as having the purest atmosphere and free-stone 
water in the world. From its mountains spring the head¬ 
waters of the Kanawha, Dan, Cape Fear, Great Pedee, Wa- 
teree, Broad, Saluda, Savannah, Chattahoochee, Coosa and 
Tennessee rivers. Through it pass too well-graded and ex¬ 
cellent turnpike roads, one starting at Greenville, Tennes¬ 
see, running south via Paint Rock, Warm Springs, Ashe¬ 
ville and Hendersonville, branching and crossing Saluda and 
Jones’ Gaps into South Carolina; the other, starting at the 
head of the railroad at Morganton, passing west by Marion 
through Swananoah Gapwa Asheville, Waynesville, Webster, 
Franklin, and Murphy, into Tennessee and Georgia. 

In this section there is some of the most interesting nat¬ 
ural scenery to be found on the continent; among which are 
Paint Rock, Csesar’s Head, and Chimney Rock; near the 
last named leaps, from near the summit of a mountain appa¬ 
rently of solid rock, a clear stream of water, making at one 
bound a distance of some two hundred feet perpendicular. 
Cascades are quite, numerous, and the water power in this 
mountain section of country cannot be surpassed in the 
world. Iron ore abounds in some localities, and other val¬ 
uable minerals have been discovered. The soil, composed 
of every variety, is adapted to the culture of corn, rye, oats, 
buckwheat, grasses, and fruits, particularly apples. Irish 
potatoes and cabbage are raised to great perfection. Fair 
wheat is raised in some counties. 

The principal source of income was from the raising of 
stock. Previous to the war immense herds of cattle roamed 
over the mountains, grazing upon the wild range, which 
were driven to the markets of South Carolina, Georgia, and 
Virginia, during the fall and winter. The terminus of no 
less than five railroads are pointing in the direction of this 


38 


mountain country, to wit: from Morriston, Tennessee; 
Morganton, North Carolina; Cherryville, North Carolina; 
Spartanburg, South Carolina; and Greenville, South Caro¬ 
lina ; the extension of some of which was under contract and 
their construction under way previous to the war; all of which 
now lie dormant. Here is a grand opening for capitalists, 
which no doubt will be seized upon at an early day. The 
freedman w r ould be glad to get employment, even at low 
wages, to work on these roads. It would at once circulate 
money in the country, stimulate the farmer, the mechanic, 
and infuse vigor into all departments and pursuits of life. 

In view of these reasonable calculations, I implore my 
fellow-citizens to take courage and unite their efforts in 
building up the country. Repair your farms; everything 
that sustains life comes from the ground—the farm ; sow 
your seed, be cheerful and charitable. Encourage the resto¬ 
ration of your colleges, academies, and common schools, and 
everything that tends to the promotion and happiness of our 
common country, and all will be well. The pursuit of peace, 
prosperity, and happiness, is the duty of man. May the 
great God of nations, the King of kings, rest and abide with 
us as a people and as a nation, is the earnest petition of 
your humble servant, 

ALEXANDER H. JONES. 

December , 1865. 


P. S.—January the 5th, 1866. In pursuance of my duty 
to a loyal constituency, and in justice to myself, I am at 
the capital of the nation “knocking at the door.” 

































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